Internet users (Internet Service Providers (ISPs)) [time series]

NA

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 2, FM 7 (plus 3 repeaters), shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios [time series]

111,000 (1997)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

domestic: system is automatically switched international: direct microwave radio relay link with Martinique and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; tropospheric scatter to Barbados; international calls beyond these countries are carried by Intelsat from Martinique

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]

31,000 (1995)

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

1,000 (1995)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

3 (of which two are commercial stations and one is a community antenna television or CATV channel) (1997)

Televisions [time series]

32,000 (1997)

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

bananas, coconuts, vegetables, citrus, root crops, cocoa

Budget [time series]

revenues: $141.2 million expenditures: $146.7 million, including capital expenditures of $25.1 million (FY97/98 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 East Caribbean dollar (EC$) = 100 cents

Debt - external [time series]

$135 million (1998)

Economic aid (Economic aid - recipient) [time series]

$51.8 million (1995)

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

The recent changes in the EU import preference regime and the increased competition from Latin American bananas have made economic diversification increasingly important in Saint Lucia. Improvement in the construction sector and growth of the tourism industry helped expand GDP in 1998-99. The agriculture sector registered its fifth year of decline in 1997 primarily because of a severe decline in banana production. The manufacturing sector is the most diverse in the Eastern Caribbean, and the government is beginning to develop regulations for the small offshore financial sector.

Electricity - consumption [time series]

102 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - exports [time series]

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - imports [time series]

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - production [time series]

110 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - production by source [time series]

fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1998)

Exchange rates [time series]

East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1 - 2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976)

Exports [time series]

$75 million (1998)

Exports - commodities [time series]

bananas 41%, clothing, cocoa, vegetables, fruits, coconut oil

Exports - partners [time series]

UK 50%, US 24%, Caricom countries 16% (1995)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 April - 31 March

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

purchasing power parity - $656 million (1998 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP - composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 10.7% industry: 32.3% services: 57% (1996 est.)

Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita) [time series]

purchasing power parity - $4,300 (1998 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]

2.9% (1998 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports [time series]

$290 million (1998)

Imports - commodities [time series]

food 23%, manufactured goods 21%, machinery and transportation equipment 19%, chemicals, fuels

Imports - partners [time series]

US 36%, Caricom countries 22%, UK 11%, Japan 5%, Canada 4% (1995)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

-8.9% (1997 est.)

Industries [time series]

clothing, assembly of electronic components, beverages, corrugated cardboard boxes, tourism, lime processing, coconut processing

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

3.7% (1998 est.)

Labor force [time series]

43,800

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

agriculture 43.4%, services 38.9%, industry and commerce 17.7% (1983 est.)

Population below poverty line [time series]

NA%

Unemployment rate [time series]

15% (1996 est.)

Area [time series]

total: 620 sq km land: 610 sq km water: 10 sq km

Area - comparative [time series]

3.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Climate [time series]

tropical, moderated by northeast trade winds; dry season from January to April, rainy season from May to August

Coastline [time series]

158 km

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Gimie 950 m

Environment - current issues [time series]

deforestation; soil erosion, particularly in the northern region

International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geographic coordinates [time series]

13 53 N, 60 68 W

Irrigated land [time series]

10 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 8% permanent crops: 21% permanent pastures: 5% forests and woodland: 13% other: 53% (1993 est.)

Location [time series]

Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Map references [time series]

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims [time series]

200 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural hazards [time series]

hurricanes and volcanic activity

Natural resources [time series]

forests, sandy beaches, minerals (pumice), mineral springs, geothermal potential

Terrain [time series]

volcanic and mountainous with some broad, fertile valleys

Administrative divisions [time series]

11 quarters; Anse-la-Raye, Castries, Choiseul, Dauphin, Dennery, Gros Islet, Laborie, Micoud, Praslin, Soufriere, Vieux Fort

Capital [time series]

Castries

Constitution [time series]

22 February 1979

Country name [time series]

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Saint Lucia

Data code [time series]

ST

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

the US does not have an embassy in Saint Lucia; the US Ambassador in Barbados is accredited to Saint Lucia

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Sonia Merlyn JOHNNY chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 364-6792 through 6795 FAX: [1] (202) 364-6728 consulate(s) general: New York

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Dr. Pearlette LOUISY (since September 1997) head of government: Prime Minister Kenneth ANTHONY (since 24 May 1997) and Deputy Prime Minister Mario MICHEL (since 24 May 1997) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the governor general is appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

blue, with a gold isosceles triangle below a black arrowhead; the upper edges of the arrowhead have a white border

Government type [time series]

Westminster-style parliamentary democracy

Independence [time series]

22 February 1979 (from UK)

International organization participation [time series]

ACCT (associate), ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Judicial branch [time series]

Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (jurisdiction extends to Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, the British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines)

Legal system [time series]

based on English common law

Legislative branch [time series]

bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (11 seats; six members appointed on the advice of the prime minister, three on the advice of the leader of the opposition, and two after consultation with religious, economic, and social groups) and the House of Assembly (17 seats; members are elected by popular vote from single-member constituencies to serve five-year terms) elections: House of Assembly - last held 23 May 1997 (next to be held NA 2002) election results: House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - SLP 16, UWP 1

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 22 February (1979)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

National Freedom Party or NFP [Martinus FRANCOIS]; Saint Lucia Labor Party or SLP [Kenneth ANTHONY]; United Workers Party or UWP [leader NA]

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Background [time series]

The island, with its fine natural harbor at Castries, was contested between England and France throughout the 17th and early 18th centuries (changing possession 14 times); it was finally ceded to the UK in 1814. Self government was granted in 1967 and independence in 1979.

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (includes Special Service Unit), Coast Guard

Military expenditures - dollar figure [time series]

$5 million (FY91/92)

Military expenditures (Military expenditures - percent of GDP) [time series]

2% (FY91/92)

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 33% (male 26,087; female 25,159) 15-64 years: 62% (male 47,420; female 49,290) 65 years and over: 5% (male 3,113; female 5,191) (2000 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

22.19 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate [time series]

5.43 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

black 90%, mixed 6%, East Indian 3%, white 1%

Infant mortality rate [time series]

15.64 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Languages [time series]

English (official), French patois

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 72.31 years male: 68.74 years female: 76.14 years (2000 est.)

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 67% male: 65% female: 69% (1980 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Saint Lucian(s) adjective: Saint Lucian

Net migration rate [time series]

-4.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Population [time series]

156,260 (July 2000 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

1.21% (2000 est.)

Religions [time series]

Roman Catholic 90%, Protestant 7%, Anglican 3%

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.6 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.42 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Disputes - international [time series]

none

Illicit drugs [time series]

transit point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe [Country Listing] [ The World Factbook Home]

Airports [time series]

2 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1999 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 1,210 km paved: 63 km unpaved: 1,147 km (1996 est.)

Merchant marine [time series]

none (1999 est.)

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

Castries, Vieux Fort

Railways [time series]

0 km